I'm Kate, just Kate
by beginnerwriter16
Summary: What happens when Professor Rodgers is assigned to teach one Katherine Beckett. What happens when a spark ignites between them which nobody saw coming.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary : What happens when Professor Rodgers is assigned to teach one Katherine Beckett. What happens when a spark ignites between them which nobody saw coming. Rated M for most probably language in later chapters.**

 **Disclaimer : Castle is not mine.**

Katherine Beckett woke up on a Monday morning at 6 am and she could not want to go to college any more than she already does. After spending her summer earning enough money to eventually move out of her parents house but only saving enough to pay rent for a few months. She hit at her alarm clock until the shrill beeping finally stopped and she sat up her brown curly hair pointing out in odd angles and dry drool on the side of face, she wiped at it whilst cringing and removing her retainer. She will never be more grateful for braces but the retainer part and waking up with drool never got better, she knew it wasn't always her retainers fault as she did tend to sleep with her mouth open and sometimes snore slightly but it's not like anyone knows that.

She got out of bed to go to her bathroom to shower and try to eventually tame her hair which usually ended up in a pony tail.

Katherine Beckett was 18 years old and was about to start her life as a college student and she looked the same as she did every morning for the past 3 years of her life. Brown curly hair tied back into a pony tail, glasses because her family refused to buy her contacts for some bizarre reason, another reason she wants to live and earn by herself, a sweater and blue skinny jeans. She went down stairs and had the same breakfast she has been having since her mom decided to become a health nut, yogurt with chopped blueberry's and banana. When it was time to leave it was 7:00 am and her mom and dad were coming down the stairs dressed and ready for the day. Her parents were lawyers. They were lawyers that a lot of people wanted to work on their cases and she had a good upbringing and a good education but no one knew how much her family earned and as far as anyone is concerned her family earns an average amount of money just like any New York citizen. Her parents also tried to send her off to a private school when it was time to go to high school she was insistent that she go to a public school and she was very happy with her decision. But she went to a private elementary school and no one knew that.

So she sits here and watch as her parents come down in their suits and get their usual coffee and breakfast and they sit at the table with her and they all eat in silence. She got into a few school some of which were Stanford, Harvard and NYU but her parents thought it would be better if she stayed home no matter how much she wanted to go to Stanford it was a no go by her parents.

Her parents were very protective as she was their only child and they saw the horrible truths all the time and they tried to protect her from it. So that is why she is living at home, and still don't have her own car, still doesn't have contacts.

Her parents have decided between them who would take her to school and today it was her mom. It has been tense lately since her parents decided they would not pay for her to go to any other school that wasn't in New York.

They sat in the car listening to the radio and her mom was trying to make conversation with her. Asking whether she was excited about her classes, or whether she had everything she needed or if she had her lunch money.

Her mom dropped her off outside and Kate couldn't get out of the car quick enough, having your mom drop you off in high school was not the best but having her drop you off at college was not okay so Kate practically ran away from her moms car after saying goodbye. She got her time table and off to first class she goes which just happens to be a literature another reason for the tense atmosphere at home. Her parents couldn't seem to see how literature could be useful in finding a career but she didn't care her parents could decide what college she went to as long as she got to pick her classes.

She sat at her desk in the class room which was next to the window when he walked in. Her literature professor walked in and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen and he had this brown hair that some how just looked like he never had to do anything to it because it was so perfect, he was perfect, and tall. And that's how she spent most of her first lecture, staring at her literature professor like she had never seen a man before and to make things worse his voice did not help at all. He had this low voice that just made her feel things that she has never felt before.

"Miss Beckett." He said and suddenly she realized he was doing roll call and she replied with a 'here sir' in an embarrassingly high pitch voice that had almost the whole class turning to her and laughing behind their hands and the professor just went on.

He stood and picked up some chalk and write his name in neat handwriting, "My name is Professor Rodgers, first name Richard people call me Rick and you can call me what you want as long as it isn't rude or disrespectful. I will assign you homework and I accept you to have it done on time. I will be sending an e-mail containing a reading list and I will expect you to read these by the end of the year. I will be giving you surprise quizzes on these books and other basic topics. I'm not always this serious and trust me I don't like it anymore then you do so lets get started. I want to get to know everyone so this lesson you will be writing about yourself you may begin." And just like that everyone was writing pages and by the time people had 2 pages Kate Beckett had written one line.

 _'I'm Kate Beckett, just Kate.'_

And she felt ridiculous, everyone had all these things to say about themselves.

"That's it times up you are all dismissed, put your papers on my desk as you leave."

Her eyes widened as she looked at her one sentence. She was the last to leave the room and very hesitantly handed her paper over.

"You haven't written much Miss Beckett." He said as he read her one line.

"There isn't much to write Sir." She stared at the floor refusing to look up into his impossibly blue eyes.

"And what makes you say that ?" He crossed his arms over his chest making his arms bulge.

"Read my paper Sir."

"I did."

"Then read it again."

And as he looked down and looked back up 5 seconds later she was gone and he was stuck there stood in his class staring at the door and stuck with the mystery of what she meant. And suddenly he couldn't wait for tomorrows class and he would make sure for her to explain what she meant by _'just Kate.'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer : Castle is not mine.**

Kate Beckett always got home before her parents and she always spent it the same way, studying. Today was a hectic first day and she had a lot of stuff to do. After she finished studying she would watch some TV for an hour and then start dinner for her mom and dad as they usually got home too late to make dinner.

She didn't mind doing all of this but she would love to experience things that she never got to. She didn't have and friends which sounded sad but she looked at it as more time to study and no drama, well she told herself that to make her feel better and that was okay by her. She got to see her family more and she now had a routine, even if it was incredibly boring.

When she was in high school she was upset and hurt by not going out because according to everyone she was a 'nerd' but she considered herself normal like everyone and hated that society thought it necessary to categories people. But she graduated top of her year and that was great because she had the opportunity to go to some great colleges even if her parents refused to pay for her to go.

Kate had prepared dinner and it was cooking so she went on her computer to do somethings opening her e-mail and opening a new tab so she could look up her opticians number and making an appointment. She was 18 so in her mind she should be allowed to wear contacts. She made an appointment for tomorrow which was surprising but there was a cancellation.

She was going through her e-mail when her laptop bleeped and she refreshed the page and there was Professor Rodgers reading list and she smiled as she read it, already have read most of the books on the list. She smiled and e-mailed him.

'What if you've already read 90% of those books ?'

As soon as she sent it she felt nervous but she didn't understand why he was just her professor. But she smiled when she thought of him and she was starting to have a crush on him she thought and she blushed, she could _not_ have a crush on her literature professor that would make the next few years awkward beyond belief if he ever found out.

Her laptop beeped again.

'Well then Miss Beckett you are very well read and I suggest when you finish the rest of the list I will give you some more books to read.'

She smiled and didn't know what to reply, she definitely wanted to continue to e-mail him but she just didn't know what to say was it inappropriate if she talked about a different subject or was it just safe to continue to talk about books. But she didn't have to decide as he e-mailed her.

'What did you mean by _'Just Kate'_ it's killing me not knowing.'

She smiled and she felt butterflies in her stomach no one had actually cared enough, she has written it before and no one questioned her but there was this one man who did and she felt strangely cared about.

'Sir I thought I told you to read it again.'

'I did again and again and again times 3'

She thought about what she could tell him to maybe help him out but to be honest she didn't want to. For her it was her way of describing herself and she has done it since she was younger and has never given anyone an explanation until they had gotten it right so she didn't see any reason to give him one now, no matter how special he made her feel.

'Sorry Sir but you're just going to have to figure this one out on your own.'

And with that she logged off and shut off her e-mail and went to get dinner, suddenly excited for tomorrow's literacy lesson.

Her mom and dad got home around 8 pm just in time for inner and they all sat around the small dining room table and ate quietly. Dinner was usually a quiet meal anyway but with the tense atmosphere it was almost unbearable. Kate quickly ate her meal practically inhaling it and left the table after putting her dish in the sink. She cooked the meal and they washed the dishes and in her mind that was fair. She ran to her room and logged onto her e-mail to see if he had replied and he had.

'This is a challenge I will willingly except Miss Beckett.'

She could see he had logged of and she smiled seeing no reason to reply to his e-mail.

Her Literacy professor made her smile in a day than she has all summer and she felt happy even though she was stuck at home under her parents rules and not enough money to have her own place but suddenly that was all okay, suddenly she didn't need her own place and she didn't need to be at Stanford all she needed to be was here, at home with her family and just live day by day and stop trying to plan her days ahead. If she had never stayed home she would have never met professor Rodgers and he would have never of found the mystery that was Kate Beckett.

Their fate was on track it's just neither one of them knew it just yet.

Richard Rodgers was sat in his New York loft sat in front of her paper which simply read _'I'm Kate, just Kate.'_ And it felt like it was mocking him. Solving things is what he does and he loved reading but this person has manage to make him hit a broke wall. He just met her today and he had no idea what this could possibly mean he asked them to write about themselves there must be more about her, mustn't there ? In his mind every one is entitled to a story and if her life was a book there is no way he couldn't read it. She intrigued him and she was beautiful beyond compare with her brown curly locks and those hazel eyes that just begged for someone to notice her, to notice her story and he was mesmerized by them. He couldn't believe how people could not be enchanted by her very being and this was dangerous territory he was thinking about because she is his student and there is a policy in the school rules that clearly states no student teacher relationships. But there was a part of him, the part of him which was always hoping for the happy ending in every story that maybe they could have a relationship and maybe it could work. He had to stop himself thinking like this it was dangerous, it could ruin his career if word got out that he was beginning to fall for one of his students after just one day.

So he sat there with a small glass of scotch and staring at her paper alone, the rest were back on his desk. He had been staring at it for a couple of hours now and he was bewildered on what it could mean. Did she really only see herself as more than a name or was it deeper than that ? She made it seem like it was a lot deeper than that and so he continued to stare at it until the sun was rising and he was on his fourth cup of coffee after switching to coffee and 3 am and before he knew it he had to shower and get ready to head off to college with her paper still in mind and looking like hell because of the lack of sleep she had caused him unknowingly.

He somehow managed to make it to his first lecture on time and by the shocked expressions on everyone's faces compared to yesterday he knew just how bad he looked and he cringed on the inside and that's when he saw her siting in the same seat as yesterday writing in her notebook and he took a deep breath and went up to her, all of his students following his movements but she continued to be oblivious as he stood over her looking down until he gently said to her "Miss Beckett would you mind seeing me at the end of the day, I would like to discuss your paper."

When she looked up his breath got caught she looked beautiful just like yesterday except today she was wearing a dark blue sweater, she pushed her black glasses up on her nose as they had fallen slightly and looked up to see him. She nodded slightly and he nodded and walked away quickly not understanding how she could look so beautiful without having to try.

He spent most of his lesson trying to not look at her but that was difficult when she looked at him so intensely, taking in his every word and savoring it and all he could think was he was screwed. When it was time to leave she was the last out of the door and she smiled at him and he smiled back and he was excited for the end of the day as was she.

She lightly knocked on his door at 3:15 and he looked up to see her standing there head bent down shyly "You wanted to see me Sir."

He suddenly realized how much of a bad idea this was, him and her alone in the room, how was he possibly going to keep his feelings for to to himself now ?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : Castle is not mine.**

Kate Beckett was walking to her professor with a smile on her face and she didn't know why. Yes she thought he was handsome and yes she thought he was smart and actually wanted to know her _'just Kate'_ mystery but she confronted him with a smile. He pointed to the seats in the front row and she sat in the one directly opposite his desk as he moved his wheely chair to sit in front of her with her paper in hand.

"Sir are you going to ask me the same question you have since you've read my paper because if so I'm just going to leave now." She said. She knew she wouldn't actually walk out of the class room but he didn't know that and she smiled to herself on the inside as she saw a flash of panic in his eyes.

"Actually Miss Beckett I don't think it was fair to give me this challenge when I simply know nothing about you." He said smirking at her as she sat back in her chair with her mouth open slightly. No one has really taken an interest into the deeper meanings of her essays, well her 5 word essay and she was shocked that her actually wanted to know more about her, the glasses wearing, shy person she is and a part of her was thrilled and excited but more of her was scared because what if he got too close and didn't like what he found ? What if her tore down her carefully built walls and then left her to clean up the ruble he left behind.

"Same could be said for you Professor, you expect me to just hand you bits of information about myself without giving anything in return, now I don't see that fair." She said with a sudden bout of bravery and she was proud when she saw his impressed smirk.

"Okay." He said.

"Okay ?" She said shocked.

"Okay." He said again with the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. Kate nodded and he took that as a sign to continue. "My name is Richard Rodgers and I am 23, I'm divorced and have a 9 month year old daughter who I leave with my mother or a close friend whilst I come her and then I go home. Your turn."

"My name is Katherine Beckett but people call me Kate, I'm 18 years old and I go to school and I go home."

"What's your favorite color ?"

"Purple and yourself ?"

"Green. Favorite book ?" He asked and suddenly it turned into a game of 20 questions.

"Too many." she smiled at him. "What's your daughters name ?"

"Alexis. Any pets ?"

"I have a fish you ?"

"No" he replied.

There was a pause in the game in which both of them held steady eye contact neither looking away and to them it was perfect because even though it was silent there were so many words being passed between them. They had only know each other for a day but that was long enough for a bond to form between them. A bond neither of them knew had formed and neither one of them knew that this bond will be unbreakable. That they will forever be connected even if it was in a way neither of them expected.

"Favorite restaurant ?" He asked so quietly, not wanting to break their silent conversation with their eyes.

"Remys" She is suddenly shy by his intense stare.

"You have impeccable taste Miss Beckett."

"My name is Kate."

He was confused of course he knew her name was Kate, how could he not ? She saw the confusion on his face so she continued "my name is Kate so call me Kate, no more Miss Beckett."

"Okay" He saw her smile and he gently touched her hand for a second feeling the shock of electricity pass between them and he knew she felt it to because she looked up "but only if you call me Rick."

"But you're my professor." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"And you're my student and I will call you Kate just outside of class." He smiled.

"Outside of class ?" She felt her heart stutter and the prospect of seeing him outside of college, someone wanting to see her outside of college.

"Well I would like to think we are becoming friends Kate if that is alright with you." He smiled at her and gosh that smile just melted her insides and she felt like she was blushing but she just wasn't sure why. He wanted to be friends and if she was being honest with herself she wanted that to. She would love to have a friends, someone to make new memories with, someone she can always go to with her troubles and concerns and someone to tell er everything would be okay. She just wanted someone to be there and she was excited at the prospect of someone being there for her.

"I would like to be your friend Rick." She smiled at him shyly and he smiled back.

He stood up looking at the time to see it was nearly 4pm and he had to be home soon. She stood up to and smiled at him as she picked up her bag.

"Same time tomorrow ?" He asked hopefully and she smiled at him before nodding and he smiled back and went to his desk to get his stuff and he met her at the door "I'll see you tomorrow Kate." He held out his hand and when she shook it he felt those sparks again.

Kate Beckett got home at 4:30 and was shocked to see her parents at the table presumably waiting for her. Her parents were never home before her and to say she was shocked wouldn't be enough.

"How come your home late Katherine." Her father said in a stern tone. She knew her father was scared of letting her go and she understood that but sometimes she wished they would stop treating her like a kid.

"I stayed behind school for a while."

"Why ?"

"A professor was offering some extra help so I thought I could maybe get in some extra school hours and try to boost my grade."

She did feel guilty about lying to her parents, she truly did but she wasn't going to let her parents take away her chance at having a friendship with somebody. She looked at her parents and then went to her room, hoping to have a message from him.


End file.
